City Heights[FINISHED]

[Veronica Barthomeloi]

Despite the night sky, Fuyuki City remained lit. The various lights, street lamps, and neon lights glimmered brightly. Veronica Barthomeloi could barely tear her gaze away from the sight. It was different, modern, and a refreshing change in scenery. The foreign district was boring in comparison to this active city. She watches the citizens crossing streets, observing mannerisms, clothing, and interactions. So, this is what the general public was like. She blinks, watching a group of students around her age entering and leaving from stores, friends trailing behind them. Huh. Briefly, the young magi wonders what their lives must be like. Probably a lot more exciting then her's. Sure, they may not have magic, but at least they could travel or interact with others their own age. Veronica had few friends. Usually, they were children from other families who visited every once and awhile, and even then that was rare. They felt less like friends too, more like magi who were trying to establish good relationships. It was all business.

She refrains from acting like a small child in a candy shop, but overall her curiosity for the city constantly catches her attention. Many times, she was tempted to ask the driver to pull over so she could inspect something, but she realized with Gilgamesh in the car, such adventures would need to wait. He had been quiet most of the time, just as she had been. She wasn't sure if that was a good sign, but he would surely voice his displeasure like he had before. Most of the wine had been drank, it seemed. So that must have been enough to leave him satisfied, for the moment anyways. Veronica smiles, continuing to look out the window. They were close to the building where the penthouse was at. The name of the condominium escapes her, but apparently it had the best service Fuyuki had to offer. Seemed rather inexpensive for her, but her budget must be much larger compared to everyone else here.

The limousine drives into some sort of underground parking complex after handing the needed identification. Now at the edge of her seat, the young Barthomeloi watches as the limousine draws to a stop. After a moment, she takes a deep breath and exits the vehicle, holding the door open for Gilgamesh to exit from. The parking lot was empty and secluded from the busy city outside. Good, it would be strange if she had to walk around with her Servant, who was still dressed in the clothes he had been summoned in. Her driver exits the car, tipping his hat to the both of them and continuing onwards. He had been informed on where to take them, and Veronica follow, although at a slow pace. There was no hurry anymore.

They are lead into a wide elevator, but the driver does not enter. He gives a slight bow, walking away as the door seals. Veronica clicks the number of the room, jumping slightly as the elevator lifts and rises through the building. Around the 20th floor or so, the display changes to glass, and Veronica watches the city below her. A much better view then her manor could ever offer, she thinks quietly as she peers out the glass, her hands grasping onto the gold railings. Hopefully the penthouse would have even more to offer. She steps back as the door swings open behind her. Twisting around, she blinks at the hallway that leads to a single door. Well, this is what she had been waiting for. Stepping out of the elevator, she remains quiet. The only sound she makes is when she removes the key for the room to unlock the door. It opens with ease, and the Barthomeloi glances inside.

She whistles loudly, spinning around. Open kitchen, wide living room, spiral staircase that lead up to a dinning area, and behind that would probably lead to the bedrooms. Personally, she liked this better then the manor. While the manor had been lavish, it felt outdated. This on the other hand was modern and dynamic. With a color scheme of whites and blues, it was pleasing to the eye as well. “And this isn't bad. Wasn't expecting this much. I am pleasantly surprised.” She walks into the living room, going straight towards the wide window that exposed the whole city before her. There was a sliding glass door that lead to a balcony which was decorated with furniture. She doesn't bother to leave to check it out.

She jumps back, landing onto a black leather loveseat. There was a television, something she never had the pleasure of operating, along with...some strange gold box. The magi ignores it for the moment, content with how everything had gone. It was a mission acomplished.

[Gilgamesh]

While Veronica had entertained herself by looking out the window and observing passerby, Gilgamesh paid no attention to the world beyond the limousine's lush interior. He had taken his Master up on her offered hospitality, and in doing so had emptied two of the three wine bottles. He had found both wines to taste refreshing, and he still had the last remnants of the second bottle in his glass. His glass, in turn, was secured between two fingers by the narrow step of the sophisticated cup. He raised the glass to his lips once more while Veronica continued to watch groups of young adults leave various shops and stores. His eyes were closed, and he did not offer any input on his thoughts about the city. It all looked the same to him, and to Gilgamesh the opportunity to see the city was no more thrilling than it might be for a college student to see the dressers in his dorm room. The entire world was his, by his estimation, and so he was not awed by any of the things which apparently fascinated his Master. But he did not chide her for her fascination either, and kept largely to himself for the duration of the ride.

He did not cease nursing the wine until he felt the limo slow to a rolling stop. He could hear the driver being asked for identification, and soon after the limo began to gently accelerate. Realizing that the ride was almost at end, Gilgamesh set the now empty drink down upon the wine table, though he made no moves to partake of the third bottle. Apparently, he had been satisfied by the hospitality of his Master thus far, though he did not thank her; it was only natural that a host should take care of their guest...especially when said guest was capable of providing a valuable service to the host in question. Anything Gilgamesh demanded from Veronica would be a small price to pay for the Holy Grail.

The car once more came to a stop, and the driver killed the engine. Gilgamesh allowed his Master to exit the back of the limousine first. She held the door for him, which enabled her Servant to quietly exit the car as well, though he still said nothing to her directly which resembled a "thank you." Instead, he looked disapprovingly about the dreary parking garage. He paid no special attention to their chauffeur, even as he tipped his hat to them. Although, he did follow Veronica as she followed the driver. He didn't complain about having to do so, but he did allow his Master an insight into his perception of the parking garage.

"How disgusting. This dark, dreary place appears to be full of cars you stated were driven by commoners." He stated to his Master, though he didn't make it clear whether or not he expected a reply.

Eventually, both Master and Servant made their way into a spacious elevator, and the well-dressed chauffeur silently bid the pair farewell. Gilgamesh crossed his arms and shut his eyes now, but if he was upset he said nothing more to show that he was. With someone as imperious as Gilgamesh, the chances were he wasn't actually upset, but simply had nothing to say right now. So, he waited, not noticing the unusual jumpiness his Master demonstrated when the mechanics of the elevator kicked in. The lift began moving upwards smoothly, and Gilgamesh didn't even bother to observe what floor had been punched into the elevator's control panel. Finally, the elevator began to slow to a stop, and Gilgamesh opened his eyes. Once more, he did not bother to look down upon his city. Instead, he just followed his Master, not quiet bored but no longer amused. Instead, he simply watched his Master slip a key into the door of the penthouse suite and push the door open.

“And this isn't bad. Wasn't expecting this much. I am pleasantly surprised.”

Needless to say, Gilgamesh - with his higher standards - was less impressed with the dwelling than Veronica was, but that was to be expected. Still, he at least unfolded his arms now and walked in after his Master, allowing the door to shut and lock behind him. He too looked about the spacious room, though his crimson eyes surveyed it with less optimism than Veronica's own hues. Finally, after a few minutes of what was apparently deep thought, Gilgamesh spoke once more.

"Hm. It will do. Such a dwelling is normally not to my tastes, but if nothing else the fact this residence is above those of the commoners is suitable. And the view could perhaps be strategic should any portion of the Holy Grail War take place near here." He added, a testament to both his imperious attitude and his existence as a Servant. What caught Gilgamesh's eye - appropriately enough - was the one object in the room not made of china or glass or wood or metal: a golden rectangle hooked up to the television. As a king and a man of refined tastes, Gilgamesh could discern when something was lavish or not. His gaze now changed to a more approving but clearly curious look as he walked up to the device. He knelt down slightly, tracing a strong but slender finger across the smooth surface of the odd looking device. Then, his finger depressed a button, and the clear ring around the unusual symbol gave off a green glow. He stood up uncertainly, looking to his Master.

"Veronica." He stated, as if even talking to her was a task in and of itself. "What sort of sorcery is this? What is the function of this gold object? Such a fascinating thing is out of place next to a dreary box." Gilgamesh proclaimed in a matter-of-fact voice, two knuckles gently tapping against the frame of the television. He had turned to halfway face his Master now, curious about the one thing in the room that had caught his interest.

[Veronica Barthomeloi]

"Veronica." He stated, as if even talking to her was a task in and of itself. "What sort of sorcery is this? What is the function of this gold object? Such a fascinating thing is out of place next to a dreary box."

Of all the things that catch his attention...it's the Xbox? Veronica sits up on the loveseat, grasping a black remote next to her. Pressing the large red button, the 'dreary box' lights up. The screen flickers, and Veronica leans back. The Xbox 360 logo spirals onto the screen. The controller for the Xbox was next to the box, and that lights up as well. “It's called an Xbox 360. You play video games on them.” She walks up, grasping the golden controller in her hands. The dashboard for the Xbox comes onto the screen. Shortly afterward, the display for making an account comes up, and she passes the controller into Gilgamesh's hands. “It'll tell you what to do from here.” There should already be a game in the Xbox, so once that's done he could probably get to playing whatever is there.

She walks away, watching him from the corner of her eye as she heads to the kitchen, grabbing some water from the fridge. It didn't have that much food, so she would probably have to purchase some tomorrow morning. Pushing it shut with her hip, the magi then proceeds to explore the household while Gilgamesh occupied himself with the television. There were two bedrooms, bathrooms, and so forth. While Gilgamesh was hard to impress, Veronica was just thankful to be out of the manor. The rooms weren't too big, nothing compared to her bedroom. Still, it wasn't bad, she thinks silently. Veronica closes the doors, heading down the staircase again. Looks like he was getting ready to play one of the games available. She collapses onto one of the couches, watching him play in silence.

Veronica relaxes into the leather, wondering why her household never had any of these couches. Silently, she thinks back to the manor. Her family was either extremely angry, or beyond terrified. After all, their family head just up and left. Sure, her father was still head of the family, but they didn't have enough time to have another kid and raise them to be a new leader of the family. They probably already found her research in her room. She had left a clear trail of her actions to prepare for Gilgamesh. They knew she was a Master now. After all, the ritual circle had left a mark on the floor as well. It was obviously a success. She smirks. Maybe they would send the Enforcers after her. Her family was often affiliated with them. They might try to interferer. Then again, her family was also close with the Church as well. The church might step in and place protection over her. After all, it would be bad if they tried to stick their nose into a Grail War.

Enforcers would be trouble. She admits silently. The last five years of her training was going to prepare her to take up the duties of her family, which would also include Enforcer activities. Like her grandmother before her, her father was in charge of a squad of Enforcers. She would have taken over his role. The men she would command over were now probably ordered to hunt her down. She frowns. Would the Church stop it? They might allow it to happen, since there were so many Masters in this war. They could afford to clean up some lose ends. Veronica frowns. Crossing her legs, she turns her attention back to the television and whatever Gilgamesh was up too.

[Gilgamesh]

Gilgamesh watched with only mild interest as his Master picked up a black, rectangular device on the table in front of her. With the press of a button, the pitch black screen lit up unexpectedly, giving off a brilliant glow as if life had been restored to the deceased object. And in an unusual manner of speaking, that analogy was appropriate for the situation, even if all Veronica had done was turn on a television. His attention was no longer on his Master, but instead was evenly divided between the golden xbox and the television monitor which now proudly displayed the colorful logo of Microsoft's biggest pyramid scheme. The brilliant hues of green and gold mixed with steel-gray, beautifully spiraling within one another to form the unnecessarily imperious emblem of the gaming console in the center of the screen. As the logo proudly presented itself like a peacock in a zoo, his Master spoke up.

“It's called an Xbox 360. You play video games on them.” His Master explained, though to a Servant who was only equipped with very basic knowledge about the modern world into which he or she was summoned, it wasn't much of an explanation...certainly not a very helpful one, at the least, as he didn't know what a "video game" was. To him, a video was a recording of data. And a game...well, that was something entertaining that humans play with one another...like how he and Enkidu used to wrestle for fun, or go on adventures. At least, that was the relation to "games" he formulated in his mind, but before he could demand an explanation in the irritated tone he had prepared to use, his Master practically shoved a handheld, golden device into his hand.

“It'll tell you what to do from here.” His Master "explained" vaguely once more, walking off from her semi-confused Servant. Still, he was Gilgamesh, King of Heroes! Truly, if any Servant were capable of learning quickly, then it was he whom was greater than all of the imitations that came after him. He discerned that the controller was used to manipulate the screen of the television almost immediately, and fairly soon Gilgamesh had created a gamertag entitled: KingofGames. He figured it was appropriate, since he was a king, and this "Xbox 360" was used to play "video games." As a king, it was his right to boast by flaunting how much better he was at just about anything than everyone else. It was only natural.

When Veronica returned to the living room area and settled into the couch, she would see that Gilgamesh had already started a game entitled "Project Gotham Racing 3." He had figured out how to operate the device fairly quickly, and was already engaged in the tutorial of the game. His focus was fully on the television monitor now, and he didn't seem to even notice his Master had returned. He was apparently fascinated by the game, and how his hands could control what was happening on the television monitor. He learned from the tutorial and passed it with ease, finally being issued his first real challenge: the first race of the game. Gilgamesh took a seat upon the table in front of Veronica and spoke clearly.

"Master, you have already proven yourself to be more entertaining than Tokiomi and possibly Kirei. This device shall provide training, and I will master this 'video game' in a day!" He declared, his fingers skillfully operating the golden controller and causing the Mercedes he had chosen to accelerate. "I am the only true king in this world, and one of life's greatest joys is to discover the possessions one might have overlooked in his time away from his garden. I see that now." He reflected, apparently enjoying himself, perhaps far more than a sadistic, narcissistic Servant like him should. Still, he played through the first race and ended up winning by running the last contestant into a guardrail via a skillfully executed PIT maneuver. As the green Mustang fishtailed, Gilgamesh boasted to the game and his Master.

"Know your place, mongrel! Remain behind me as all are destined to be! The only one worthy of first place is myself~" And with that baffling statement, he won round one. It was then that he paused the game, and turned to his Master. Apparently, with the game paused, he was back to his normal self. His crimson gaze was calmer than before, though still sharp. "Hm. I suppose I too hastily judged you, Master. This video game promises to provide me suitable entertainment for a little while." He decreed, setting the controller down. "Though, as a Servant, I feel compelled to ask: 'What are our plans in regards to this Heaven's Feel?' As for Tokiomi, he audaciously restrained me and tried to foolishly limit my actions until he saw fit to make a move. If you do not intend on employing the same strategy, as you have implied, then what course of action do you plan on us taking?"

While he listened to her answer, Gilgamesh turned back to the television and the xbox 360, again picking up the gold controller and resuming the game.

[Veronica Barthomeloi]

She had decided to not spoil too much about the Xbox, purposely giving a vague description. It made his reaction all the more amusing. Veronica smiles, holding back a laugh as she watches him grasp the concepts behind the controls. She had never been interested in video games. Sure, she knew what they were, but she had been raised to believe they were dirty non-magical toys. While she didn't believe that, it killed her interest. Seeing that Gilgamesh found great enjoyment in the game system, Veronica silently wondered if she could fuel this newly forming pass time. It would be a great way to build up a stronger connection, or at least put her on his good side. That alone would make everything so much easier. The Barthomeloi flinches slightly as he rams another car into a guard rail, gaining the lead by doing so. The young master makes a note to not let him drive any vehicles any time soon.

"Master, you have already proven yourself to be more entertaining than Tokiomi and possibly Kirei. This device shall provide training, and I will master this 'video game' in a day!"

Oh, this was golden. In less then a single day, she had proved to be more interesting then his two previous Masters. Mind you, she wasn't sure if 'entertaining' should be what she was striving towards, but it was an improvement! She smirks, twisting onto her stomach and lounging on one of the plushy cushions. "Praise? I'll cherish that till my final days.” Her tone is playful, her eyes staring at the screen.

"I am the only true king in this world, and one of life's greatest joys is to discover the possessions one might have overlooked in his time away from his garden. I see that now." She rolls her eyes quickly, making sure he doesn't notice the gesture. He was so full of himself, it was comical in a way. She would never voice that out loud, but it was an amusing observation. Surely the other Masters came to the same conclusion, but they probably ignored it. Well, in Tokiomi's case, he probably played on it to get what he wanted. Seems like it back fired on him, though.

"Know your place, mongrel! Remain behind me as all are destined to be! The only one worthy of first place is myself~" She snickers, watching him bash another car off the road to obtain first place. Aggressive, but effective. "Hm. I suppose I too hastily judged you, Master. This video game promises to provide me suitable entertainment for a little while." Another compliment! Oh boy, this was like getting struck by lightning. Veronica raises her eyebrow. “There's much more where that came from. There are tons of similar games out there, tons~” And she'd be willing to buy him every video game shop out there if it meant he'd be more cooperative. Mind you, she wouldn't degrade herself to some sort of delivery girl who scurried about buying more game titles. There would be a balance.

"Though, as a Servant, I feel compelled to ask: 'What are our plans in regards to this Heaven's Feel?' As for Tokiomi, he audaciously restrained me and tried to foolishly limit my actions until he saw fit to make a move. If you do not intend on employing the same strategy, as you have implied, then what course of action do you plan on us taking?"

“Well, obviously things are going to run much differently. I see no point in holding you back, especially with the vast number of Servants ready to strike. There will be Servants in the hundreds, if there are that many. It seems like every magi is ready to sink their teeth into the grail. We could swoop in, strike down others before they become a threat, but there's no game in that. Fighting unorganized fighters would be a waste of talent.” She sighs, twisting on her back to stare at the ceiling. “I say we wait, just for awhile. Let the lower ranks clear each other out. Why bother wasting our time on weaker foes anyways? Once a challenge comes around, we can strike with no fear. Another magi will just rise to take the place. This is going to be all out. People aren't going to have strategies. Not at the moment, anyways.”

[Gilgamesh]

"Praise? I'll cherish that till my final days.” Veronica had said, while Gilgamesh had still been focused on taking the lead in the first race. He had not responded to the statement, because for one reason or another, he picked up no sarcasm from the statement. To him, it was as natural as breathing that one would cherish praise from someone of his stature until they passed. It was rare that Gilgamesh openly praised anyone, so for him to do so openly meant that his opinion of Veronica had increased. And, being kept "entertained" made Gilgamesh much less prone to dissent or dissatisfaction, one way or another.

“There's much more where that came from. There are tons of similar games out there, tons~" His Master informed him, much to his delight. He had no intentions of even allowing the one whom would presume herself his Master to degrade herself to a mere delivery girl, but he was clearly content when met with the notion that there would be other games. For now, though, this one proved to be enough. He ended up winning first place in race one, and then paused the game to address his Master. While he listened to her answer, though, he decided to continue with race two before calling it a night. The game interested him, but the ego of the King of Heroes was too haughty to become addicted.

“Well, obviously things are going to run much differently. I see no point in holding you back, especially with the vast number of Servants ready to strike. There will be Servants in the hundreds, if there are that many. His Master began, which both pleased and frustrated him. He turned off the Xbox by holding the center button, a function he had discovered on his own only ten or so minutes before. Setting the gold controller down, he stood up and turned around, watching his Master lay on her stomach upon the sofa. His interest in her answer up to that point had been aroused, as he was first and foremost a heroic spirit. He was pleased to learn that his Master had no intentions of restraining him herself, though for her to express uncertainty regarding a vast number of heroes made him realize how green his Master might be. Still, he listened to her carry on.

"It seems like every magi is ready to sink their teeth into the grail. We could swoop in, strike down others before they become a threat, but there's no game in that. Fighting unorganized fighters would be a waste of talent.” She added, rolling lazily onto her back, though Gilgamesh admired her ability to relax and take it easy...it was the entitlement of nobility to enjoy leisure, after all. “I say we wait, just for awhile. Let the lower ranks clear each other out. Why bother wasting our time on weaker foes anyways? Once a challenge comes around, we can strike with no fear. Another magi will just rise to take their place. This is going to be all out. People aren't going to have strategies. Not at the moment, anyways.”

"Hm. You speak the truth, Veronica." Gilgamesh began, addressing his Master by name, as was to be expected from him. He had been pleased with the gift of the Xbox 360, so he had allowed himself to call her "Master," but that was something his pride would only let slip for so long. "Firstly, those wretched mongrels whom would dare touch the king's treasure will be crushed beneath the weight of my glory. Aside from that, though, I agree with you: we should not waste our time on the unworthy masses whom will inevitably flock to a treasure eternally beyond their reach. Even so, should you really assume no Master has a plan? Tokiomi would have made several contingency plans by this point, as much of a bore as he was." Gilgamesh conceded; he even had to admit Tokiomi was thorough.

"Don't mistake my intentions. I've no problem acting on my own, but we are supposed to be partners, and because of that I felt I should warn you if you might be underestimating the desire of worthless, lowly dogs whom hunt the Holy Grail. On another note..." He trailed off, only to look himself up and down. "One as glorious as myself should not be forced to lurk in the shadows of my spirit form. I will require a new outfit, Veronica...I enjoyed wearing a school uniform during my existence from the Fourth Heaven's Feel." He added, his implications clear.

[Veronica Barthomeloi]

She listens to him, rising into a sitting position. Folding her hands, Veronica ponders his words. While the young Barthomeloi had a great advantage over other magus with her noble circuits, she had no experience. She had been trapped away and it would take time till she'd reach her pinnacle of skill. It's be rough at first, but there was no doubt Veronica had potential.

"Don't mistake my intentions. I've no problem acting on my own, but we are supposed to be partners, and because of that I fell I should warn you if you might be underestimating the desire of worthless, lowly dogs whom hunt the Holy Grail. On another note...One as glorious as myself should not be forced to lurk in the shadows of my spirit form. I will require a new outfit, Veronica...I enjoyed wearing a school uniform during my existence from the Fourth Heaven's Feel."

At that statement, Veronica breaks out of her daze and stares up at Gilgamesh. “You're right. Partners.” Giving a nod, she pauses once again when he mentions a school uniform. Raising an eyebrow, the Barthomeloi gives a shrug a moment afterward. He would need new clothes. There wouldn't be much fun in keeping him locked up here. Besides, having him around would only provide protection in the long run. “I'll check for stores in the morning. Shouldn't be hard to arrange for that sort of thing. It wouldn't be best if you traveled around in your armor all day.”

“I suppose our next order of business would probably be getting situated up here. I may pay a visit to the church, find out who's the judge of this war. I never bothered to give any hints that I planned on being a Master. I dived straight in. So, it might be good to go there and make a good impression. I don't enjoy being the flatterer, but having the church on our side would be a positive push. Good for information gathering and the like.” Veronica frowns. How many Masters where there already?

She knew that this war would be taxing, enough to push any sane magi to the brink. Still, she had one hell of an advantage to run with. Veronica smirks to herself, seemingly content. “It might also be good to invest time into training.” She pauses, quickly adding- “on my part, of course. You know how combat is in this war. Even the smallest advice can help me a great deal.” this would be his third grail war. He knew very well how Masters and Servants fought. That was something many heroic spirits couldn't boast.

[Gilgamesh]

“You're right. Partners.” Veronica conceded, solidifying the basic equality of their relationship. After all, it was only natural for the King of Heroes to drive home the point that he was the subordinate of no man...well, no woman, in this case. Least of all would Gilgamesh totally yield to the authority of a woman. In general, he maintained his attitude that women were largely inferior to men, but this archaic ideal wasn't as reinforced in his mind as it once had been; after all, he had been defeated by a female king, and this magus whom was officially recognized as his Master had already proven to be more magically potent than both of his previous Masters.

“I'll check for stores in the morning. Shouldn't be hard to arrange for that sort of thing. It wouldn't be best if you traveled around in your armor all day.”

Well, that's only common sense, after all. Gilgamesh presumed. He agreed with her, even though he was capable of walking around in spirit form since he was again naught but a Heroic Spirit. He didn't wear his armor, even now; he was practically clothless from the waist up, save for the golden bands about his wrists and the golden necklace of lion's teeth. He would prefer to walk around in more casual clothing, as he had grown attached to the typical uniform he often wore back when he had been involved in the Fifth Heaven's Feel. He accepted Veronica's answer, deciding that waiting until tomorrow wouldn't hurt anything. As a king, Gilgamesh was fairly reasonable so long as the utmost respect was given to him at all times. Besides, he refused to soil his own majestic body by allowing unworthy urchins to gaze upon him.

“I suppose our next order of business would probably be getting situated up here. I may pay a visit to the church, find out who's the judge of this war." Veronica stated, catching Gilgamesh's attention once more. He hadn't focused on her words because he was worried about her going to some church, but because he remembered the last moderator of the Holy Grail War...well, actually, he remembered the moderator from the Fifth War. That fake priest had served as his Master, even whilst the King of Heroes had been blessed with a mortal body and had his ties to the Throne of Heroes cut off. He wanted a body like that again, but for now he would play along as a Servant. If his Master aided him in obtaining the Holy Grail, he would spare her once he was free from the machinations of the corrupted device. He briefly contemplated the luxury of having such a body even as his Master rambled on.

"It never hurts to be prepared, so a visit to that dreary place should be fine." Gilgamesh conceded, giving Veronica his blessing. He had nothing more to add to the conversation than that, presuming that Veronica would want to sleep soon. If she did decide to sleep, then Gilgamesh would entertain himself around the town until morning. After all, he would feel if his Master was in danger. To his surprise, though, his Master asked a relatively thoughtful question, and he gave a pleased smile.

"If you're going to start training now, then you might as well accept your defeat, isn't that correct?" He asked, rhetorically. He kept his left arm at his side and his right hand rested upon his waist, allowing his arm to bend naturally at the forty-five degree angle. He kept talking, making sure to continue before his Master could respond to his arrogant reprimand. "I suppose you've the sight to recognize my experience, so that much is good. From the reports of my Master and his official Servant in the Fifth Heaven's Feel, some Masters are very aggressive in pursuing others. You're a Master now, so other Masters can sense you if they are close. The same goes for me and Servants. If you are so much more powerful than other magus, a few precautions such as boundary fields and familiars should be easy enough for you." He said, his voice calm but his tone as arrogant as ever.

"If you don't have such precautions already - and I am fairly sure you don't here, yet, as I would feel them - then you should establish those kind of defenses quickly. You wouldn't want to be caught unawares, would you, Veronica?"

With that, he turned his back to her and set the golden controlled upon the Xbox 360. He wasn't turning his back on her to end the conversation, merely to divide his focus. His words were spoken with an imperious demeanor, but they were also laced with slight concern; in other words, his advice was genuinely intended to help her prepare herself. He walked towards the spiral staircase, deciding to look around the apartment. As he ascended the stairs halfway, he briefly paused and spoke once more.

"In the Fifth Heaven's Feel, I made a mistake. I refuse to be hindered if my Master chooses not to take this war seriously. In that event, Veronica, I could not guarantee your safety as a 'Servant' should. I agree with you in regards to our strategy, but even if we will not hunt together now due to an abundance of potentially unworthy prey, then be sure to prepare this area. The Masters who refused to hunt end up being hunted. I witnessed that in both wars, so hear my words and understand the wisdom of a king."

With that, Gilgamesh walked onto the second story of the suite, determined to investigate the dining room and bedrooms, most likely to claim the one he deemed most grand.

[Veronica Barthomeloi]

It was several minutes after Gilgamesh left that Veronica forced herself to rise from the couch. She had been thinking, deeply at that. Seemed like she had been doing that all day. Silently, the magi thought that since Gilgamesh was here, she could take a break from a constant stream of thoughts. Turns out the Barthomeloi had far much more to think of now. Boundary fields? Veronica sighs, rubbing her temples. The family tutor never taught her about how to make them. Probably because he didn't want her to experiment on the boundaries keeping her bound inside the household. Great, it was coming around to bite her now. How the hell was she supposed to learn about boundary fields? They don't have libraries of magic laying around nowadays. That was going to be something she would also need to investigate.

She rises from the couch, following up the same stairs Gilgamesh had. He had probably already claimed the largest room in the suite, although she had believed both to be of equal size. Carefully trying to guess which room he may have choice, the new Master opens the door to her right. As the door swings, she lets out a sigh to notice it's empty. Figures he'd take the room to the right, it had a bit more color to it then this one. She collapses onto a gray bed sheet, kicking her boots to the side. Sleep should come easy tonight, Veronica had little chance to sleep back at the manor. Now, she would finally get the chance to rest without worries plaguing her mind.

Other Masters would be able to sense her. That was very new. Veronica had always figured other magi in the war could go undercover for as long as needed. Turns out, that little hypothesis was wrong. No wonder the grail wars were so fast paced. There was no hiding, unless the Master was restricted to complete isolation. Even then, that would only drive the remaining competitors even harder to locate the missing link. She closes her eyes, running a hand through her soft pink hair. A part of her was concerned, but Gilgamesh could now sense if she was ever in danger. That boosted defense would make this tolerable. If he was as good as the legends claim him to be, anyways. Veronica had no doubts about Gilgamesh being powerful, but how much of it might be over dramatized? Silently, she thinks that she won't let that thought slip. Can't hurt golden boy's pride.

Tomorrow would be busy. Church visits, shopping, spell investigations, and to avoid detections of any Masters. The pink-haired magi twists onto her side, not bothering with changing. Too tired or too lazy to bother. Hopefully she'd get a chance to enjoy the city as well, take advantage of freedom while the Grail War was still brewing. Out of discomfort, she tosses her heavy trench coat against the wall. Bah. Too much thinking, once again. Forcing herself to relax, the new master rests, ready for whatever the next morn will bring.

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